The Sacrifices We Make
by Kairi-Ichimaru15
Summary: It's a funny way fate works...it can burden you greatly, or give you what you've always dreamed of. Or both. Will Ace be saved? Can the war be stopped? It's up to a plain, Irish girl named Iris D Keehl to decide. What will she do? Ace x OC Sucky summary...please read and review! I obviously don't own One Piece. Iris is mine though.
1. Resounding Bullets

Chapter 1: Resounding Bullets

An Ace x OC fanfiction

The date was May 23rd, 2015. It was a brisk, rainy day in the small village of Mooncoin, County Kilkenny, Leinster Province, Ireland. The story begins at 135 Suir Cresent Drive, second floor of the brick home that stood on the property. Second door on the right of the stairs. The door was decorated with emblems and marks of all different colors. Inside, sat a young woman. She sat at her desk. Posters and notes were stuck on the orange painted walls. Her bed, covered in a thick skull and cross bone pattern comforter was made neatly. A soft plush black rug sat in front of a white rocking chair. Beside it was a bookshelf, stuffed to the brim with manga and dvds.

The young woman was zoned in on the screen, watching the events of her favorite anime unfold on the screen. She was so zoned in, she nearly didn't hear the glass of the living room window shatter. Her eyes widened. She grabbed her most prized possessions and necessities and stuffed them in her bag, that was shaped like a Pysduck from Pokémon. She opened her bedroom window, and escaped onto the roof. She jumped down from her second story position, onto the ground in the back yard. She righted herself before breaking into a run. The closest place was nearly a mile away. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her. However, two men in black masks chased after her.

Her lungs burned, her legs hurt, and her stomach felt uneasy. Beads of sweat fell from her brow, down her face. The men had no problem chasing her, being as fit as they were. One pulled out a small handgun and shot at her. She felt a sudden pain in her thigh, and tripped. Her head hit the ground hard, and as her vision faded to black, she saw the two pairs of feet approach her.

-0-o- * -o-0-

She woke an unknown amount of time later. She was tied to her computer chair in her room. Her pack was pressed tightly against her back. It was at times like these she wished she had a cell phone. Four men wearing black masks were standing in the room. A fifth entered after she woke.

"Ná rith, cailín leathcheann." He said, his voice deep and rumbling. ("Do not run, idiot girl") "Just a freagra ar mo cheist, go fírinneach, agus is féidir leat dul saor in aisce." He continued. ("Just answer my questions truthfully, and you may go free.")

She nodded, tears forming in her eyes. "ceart go leor, beidh mé a dhéanamh mar is mian leat!" ("Ok, I will do as you wish!")

"Cá bhfuil do mháthair?" He asked. ("Where is your mother?")

"Mo mháthair? Tá sí ag taisteal. Tá sí i miniscule, tír tríú domhan. Níl a fhios agam an t-ainm air." She answered. ("My mother? She is traveling. She is in a miniscule, third world country. I do not know the name of it.")

The man grit his teeth in frustration. "Cá bhfuil an chloch ghealach?" He asked more gruffly than before. ("Where is the Moon Stone?")

The young woman blinked. "Cloch Gealach? Tá a fhios agam rud ar bith faoi cloch ghealach" She replied truthfully. ("Moon stone? I know nothing about a Moon Stone.")

The man growled a little, and pulled out a pistol, and hit her with the butt of the gun. It hit her cheek hard, leaving a red mark, which started to bruise already.

"Deis seo caite. Cá bhfuil an Ghealach Cloch? Inis dom anois cailín, nó tú bás." He said in a frustrated, annoyed tone. ("Last Chance. Where is the Moon Stone? Tell me now girl, or you die.")

Her eyes widened in fright, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Níl a fhios agam rud ar bith! I swear! Tá a fhios agam aon rud faoi seo cloch Gealach labhraíonn tú de!" She said, her voice desperate and cracking. ("I do not know anything! I swear! I know nothing about this Moon Stone you speak of!")

The man growled and stood back, pointing the gun at her. Her eyes widened further.  
"Le do thoil! Ná seo a dhéanamh!" She pleaded, her tears hot on her cheeks. ("Please, don't do this!" )

The man scoffed. "Tá do mháthair ar tí é a íoc go daor as an méid atá déanta aici. Go raibh do anam riamh teacht ar na síochána." He spat.  
("Your mother is about to pay dearly for what she has done. May your soul never find peace.")

Her tears streamed down her face. "Uimh .. le do thoil ... Ace ... shábháil dom ó ifreann seo." ("No...please...Ace...save me from this hell...") She pleaded in a soundless whisper, repeatedly. The mans head tilted. He pulled the trigger four times. The bullets ripped through her chest easily. All four went straight through her. Two embedded into the orange wall. The other two shot her computer screen, cutting off the video feed from the episode of One Piece she had been watching. She slumped over, the searing pain and rapid blood loss making her conscious fade quickly. The last thing she heard was:

Sengoku: " Portgas D. Ace, tell the world who your father is"

Ace: "My father...is WHITEBEARD!"

And then it all went black.

* * *

_A/N: Hello guys. This is my newest story. It's also on DeviantArt. Look up Kairi-Ichimaru15. I will have some art to accompany it soon as well. _

_I used Google Translate to translate the dialogue into Irish, because the story begins in Moonstone, which is a very small village in the Republic of Ireland. Now it may seem confusing with the dialogue at first, since it's Irish, but later on she switches to regular ol' English. Except she has a heavy Irish accent. So I do hope you enjoy it. I know Ace is not here yet, but I promise you he will be soon. Please read and review because reviews make me write faster. Please send any ideas or suggestions you have in a PM, I am open to all suggestions and criticism is welcomed and flames are used to..well...I adore them. They're flames, maybe Ace will pop out of them? Thank you for reading! Read and Review! Loves and Peace!_

_Kairi-Ichimaru15_


	2. Realization

**The Sacrifices We Make**

**Chapter 2: Realization**

She was falling, that much she could tell. Air rushed into her face, making her close her eyes. It seemed as if she was falling forever, though a world that knew no time. And then, it froze, as did she. She stayed suspended in midair for a moment, before a portal opened beneath her. She resumed falling, warm air hitting her face as she entered through the portal.

She fell just a few more feet, a before she felt warm, wet, and squishy substance catch her. She was still for a moment as she tried to register what had happened. She slowly stood, covered head to toe in thick brown mud. She groaned and looked around, seeing the flooded rice fields all around her. She wiped the mud from her face the best she could, and squinted in the bright sun. She made her way out of the mud and onto dry, stable land. She sigh in relief when she did. She looked around, searching for any signs of human life around. Sure enough, after about an hour of walking though the fields, she found a lone person.

"Gabh mo leithscéal, an féidir leat insint dom áit a bhfuil mé?" She asked politely, in her native tongue. ("Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?")

A woman, in her late thirties looked at her and raised an auburn brow. "Sorry, what was that?" She asked. The younger woman blinked.

"My apologies..." She said. "Can you please tell me where I am?" She asked her Irish accent thick. The elder woman smiled.

"You're on Kuboto* Island, in the New World" She said. "And you're on my property girlie." She said. The younger girl blinked a few times, trying to absorb the new information.

"T-the New...W-world?" She asked. The older woman nodded.

"Yes. My name is Esmeralda, and who might you be?" the woman, now known as Esmeralda asked.

"My name is Iris. Pleasure to meet you Ma'am." She said. Esmeralda smiled.

"You're not from around here are ya?" She asked. Iris shook her head.

"No ma'am" She said. Esmeralda smiled. "Come on with me and you can get cleaned up." She said.

"Thank you" Iris said, and followed behind the auburn haired woman. Iris took a closer look at the woman. She wore rubber boots, tan overalls, a simple light blue tank top, and a conical straw-hat, that was now hanging by a string around her neck. Her skin was tanned from years of working in the rice field, her hands muddy and strong.

* * *

Esmeralda led Iris to a small cottage, made of mud bricks with a thatch roof. Esmeralda stopped her at the door. "One moment" She said. She went inside, then brought out a large wash tub, and took it to the water pump. She then went back in and brought out a smaller bucket, filled with a fresh towel, a wash cloth and soap. "Here ya are. Don't worry about people watchin' ya. I'm the only one for miles" She assured. Iris hesitantly took the offered bucket.

"Thank you ma'am" She said. Esmeralda nodded.

"I'll be cookin' up some supper while you wash up" She said. Iris smiled and nodded her thanks.

Iris sat her back back down beside the washtub and filled the washtub with water. She stripped down and got in, and washed herself clean. She changed into her dry clothes from her pack. She emptied out the tub, and brought in the smaller bucket. Esmeralda pointed to the area where it should sit. "Leave the dirty clothes in that basket" She said, pointing to a woven basket by the door. Iris did so. She put her backpack on one shoulder.

"It's almost ready girlie, go ahead and set your pack down and come to the table" Esmeralda said. Iris nodded and sat her pack down on a wooden rocking chair and walked into the small kitchen. She sat at the table, just as Esmeralda sat down the food. Esmeralda sat down in front of her.

"Thank you for the food" They said at once. They ate in relative silence; their meal consisted of rice, and the most delicious meat Iris had ever tasted.

"What kind of meat is this?" Iris asked.

"Sea King meat, caught just this morning by my brother Harold." She answered with a smile.

Iris blinked and smiled. "It's very good" She said. Esmeralda nodded.

After dinner Iris helped Esmeralda with the dishes, not wanting to burden the woman.

"I assume you don't have a place to sleep do ya?" Esmeralda asked.

Iris sheepishly shook her head. "No ma'am" She said. Esmeralda smiled. "You can stay here for tonight then. Now let's take these clothes to wash before the mud sets into the fabric" She said. Iris smiled.

"Thank you Ma'am" She said, and followed. Esmeralda showed Iris how to use the washboard to wash her own clothes. They hung the laundry on the line to dry, then went back inside as the sun began to set. "Alright, time to get some shut eye." She said, and handed Iris a spare blanket. "You can sleep right here" She said, setting up an old cot for her. She sat a pillow down for her.

"Thank you and good night Ma'am" Iris said. Esmeralda smiled.

"Good night to you to girlie" She said, and lay in her own cot. Iris lay down, and lay awake for hours. She had fallen into One Piece. She couldn't sleep right because of this realization.

* * *

In the wee morning hours, Esmeralda woke. She shook Iris awake.

"Time to get up sleepy head. Daylight is burning" She said. Iris woke slowly and put up the blanket and pillow, and folded up the cot. She helped make breakfast, then ate and helped with the dishes.

"I've got to go into town today; you're welcome to come along." Esmeralda said, unpinning her laundry from the line. Iris smiled, unpinning her own dry laundry and putting them in her bag.

"Thank you Ma'am" She said. Esmeralda smiled and took in her laundry, and brought out a basket. She motioned for Iris to follow her. Iris put on her pack and followed. They walked down a winding dirt path, past many harvested fields. It was one and half hours later when Iris could see blue waters on the horizon, and a town by the shore. As they neared, she seen the town was bustling with people trying to make their shops and houses look neater.

"What's all the commotion about?" Iris asked in her lilting Irish accent.

"We got wind that a famous Yonko is comin' our way for supplies. Don't know who yet." Esmeralda answered. "The town is going into a frenzy trying to make it look better."

Iris blinked once more and smiled. "That's good right?" She asked.

Esmeralda let out a weary sigh. "I do hope so. This land's gotten into a lot of trouble with bandits these last few years. They take our crops as soon as there harvested, leaving us only a little to eat ourselves and none to sell. "She said. Iris blinked and looked down.

"I'm sorry to hear that." She said. Esmeralda smiled, despite the troubles.

"It'll be alright. We've all got troubles. We'll get over them somehow." She said. Iris smiled and nodded in agreement.

They made their way down to the market, where Esmeralda began to do some simple shopping. Iris looked around as she followed the woman.

"I hear that ol' tavern in hiring bar maids, won't let an old wrinkled lady like me on the pay roll, why don't you give it a shot? You can earn yourself a bit of beli from this Yonko's crew." Esmeralda said. Iris smiled.

"Thank you and I will pay you back for your kindness" She said, and before Esmeralda could protest, Iris had walked off and into the tavern.

* * *

_Hello again. Here is the second Chapter. I do hope you enjoy. Kuboto means Rice Field in Japanese. AS my disclaimer, I obviously don't own One Piece, I do own Kuboto Island, Esmeralda, and Iris. Please review, I would love to hear from you, and it makes me very very happy to read them all! Thank you to all who have reviewed already, both on Fanfiction and on Deviant Art. I do hope you continue to read because I sure do plan to continue writing this one. _

_Loves and Peace!_

_Kairi-ichimaru15. _


	3. Working Girl

The tavern was made of worn wood, some of the dusty old windows busted. The door creaked as Iris opened it and walked inside. Inside the tavern was a little less tarnished. The wooden tables showed obvious signs of wear and tear; the bar held the marks of many of hooligans that decided to carve their name on the thick wood slab. Rickety chairs were stacked on the tables neatly.

An elderly gent stood hunched over behind the bar. The top of his head wrinkled, with a few sparse white hairs standing up at odd angles. Farther down his head, the white hair was thin, but there. Light and dark brown liver spots littered his pasty white skin. His eye brows white and bushy, hanging over piercing forest green eyes; his nose crooked from being broken one too many times. Wrinkles creased at the corner of his chapped lips, curved in a heavy frown. His jaw locked as he stared at the crimson haired young woman that walked in.

The floor creaked and groaned under her boot covered feet as she walked up to the bar. The elderly man was wiping a heavy glass mug with a white cloth.

"Wha' can I ge' you, youngin'?" His gruff voice asked. His top front teeth missing, his gums snacking together. Iris smiled politely.

"I'm here to see about a job?" She said. The man's frown turned into a rather toothless grin.

"You a brave youngin' you are." He said. "My name is Arthur B. Howley. And who migh' you be youngin'?" He asked.

"My name is Irish D. Keehl, it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Howley." She said, bowing her head slightly. Mr. Howley cackled.

"You is a good lookin' and swee' gal, you'll do good if you can hold yer own agains' dem pirate folk." He said. Iris giggled lightly.

"I think I'll be just fine Mr. Howley." She said. He smiled. "Getcha an apron and start gettin' the tables ready den gal." He said. Iris smiled and nodded. She tied a plain white apron around her waist and started pulling the chairs of the table and sat them down. Esmeralda walked in, her basket full of groceries.

"Ah, so you did get the job Iris." She said. Iris smiled.

"I sure did Mrs. Esmeralda." She said. Esmeralda smiled.

"You hired this young girlie, you better be able to keep them there pirate men off her Arthur. " Esmeralda scolded the old man. Mr. Howley let out a chuckle.

"This youngin' says she can handle herself jus' fine" He said. Esmeralda chuckled and pat her shoulder.

"Good luck to ya girlie. If ya need anything at all, you know where to find me." She said. Iris smiled and nodded.

"I will, thank you Mrs. Esmeralda. " She said. Esmeralda smiled and bid them a good work day and went home.

Mr. Howley looked over at Iris. "You needin' a place to stay gal?" he asked.

Iris blushed in embarrassment and nodded meekly.

"Yes sir Mr. Howley" She said. He smiled.

"You can sleep in the room up yonder, I don't be needin' that room anyhow" He said. She smiled.

"Thank you Mr. Howley, I appreciate it" She said. He smiled and nodded.

Iris went back to getting the tables ready. After she finished that task, Mr. Howley told her to change into her bar maid dress. It was a plain green knee length dress, with a brown leather corset on the outside. She made a few adjustments with his approval, cutting the sleeves and adding a bit of fishnet to the sleeves. She wore ankle length brown leather lace up boots, with a bit of thick heel. She tied her apron back around her waist and started bringing in full barrels of Sake, Rum, and Whiskey to put at the bar.

* * *

There were few customers, mainly men getting a drink after work, then leaving to go to their families. It was around sunset when all was quiet. Iris at the bar, as no one was inside but her and Mr. Howley. She could hear hooting and hollering outside, along with many stomping feet. She guessed men, and a large group of them. The creaky wooden door practically slammed open as men poured inside the tavern. Iris got up and looked around. Men, of all shaped and sizes filled up every table. One man alone took up a fourth of the tavern. She saw a familiar mustache, blond hair, orange hat, and brunette stick out more than anything else. She took the orders of the men, and served each one. She walked up to the table where Whitebeard sat with Marco, Ace and Thatch. She felt her heart nearly beat out of her chest as she gazed at a certain freckled face.

"W-what can I get you gentlemen?" She asked, her Irish accent thick.

"A barrel of your finest Sake." Whitebeard said. Iris nodded.

"Gin and tonic for me" Marco said.

Thatch grinned at her. "Whatever you recommend, cutie" He winked. Iris resisted the urge to roll her sky blue eyes. She turned to Ace, who smiled politely.

"Rum for me, please" He said. Iris forced back a blushed and nodded. "I'll bring it out soon" She said. She scurried off the sanctuary of the storage cellar and clutched her chest in an attempt to calm her rapidly beating heart. She took in deep calming breaths.

'_He's real….he's really real!' _She thought to herself. After she had calmed herself, she picked up a large barrel of Sake and put in on one of her shoulders. She climbed back up the stairs and headed to the bar. Mr. Howley had the order ready to go on a tray. She picked it up with her free hand, balancing it on her palm. She made her way to Whitebeard's table. She sat the barrel in front of him.

"A barrel of our finest Sake." She smiled. Whitebeard smiled and nodded his thanks.

She sat the Gin and tonic in front of Marco. "Gin and tonic for you" She said. Marco smiled lazily.

"thanks" he said.

She looked at Thatch and resisted the urge to smirk. She sat a glass in front of him.

"Bloody Mary for you" She said. Thatch blinked at the choice, but smiled anyways.

"Thank you, cutie!" he said. Her hand trembled as she picked up Ace's mug of rum and sat it in front of him.

"A-and your mug of rum" She said, smiling nervously. Ace grinned.

"thank you" He said. She blushed a little and nodded

"Please enjoy, and call if you need me" She said. She scurried off to fill the other orders. It wasn't until the early morning hours did she get a moment to sit down. Mr. Howley had gone to bed, as his customers were passed out on the tables and on the floor. Whitebeard had gone back to his ship a few hours before. Ace, Marco and Thatch still sat at their table, chatting idly as they drank.

"Pretty barmaid!" Thatch called, somewhat drunk. Iris stood and walked over to them.

"Yes?" She said. Thatch pulled her to sit with them.

"What's your name gorgeous?" He asked.

"Iris D. Keehl." She replied.

"Such a pretty name!~" He cooed. Iris scooted away from him slightly, just as he passed out on the table. Marco and Ace snickered at him.

"Sorry about that…he's a hopeless romantic when he's drunk" Marco said.

"And sober" Ace chipped in. Iris giggled slightly.

"I see. " She said. Marco sipped his drink.

"I'm Marco, nice to meet you Iris" He said. Iris smiled.

"Nice to meet you as well Marco" She said. Ace smiled.

"Portgas D Ace, but you can call me Ace. Nice to meet you Iris" He said politely. Iris felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

"The pleasure is undoubtedly mine Ace" She said, her irish accent a little thicker as she was nervous.

* * *

_Sorry for the wait guys! I have family come down from SC for a whole week. I know it's a kinda lame chapter, but meh. _

_Notes: Iris' accent gets heavier when she is nervous or mad. _

_Howley's was a pub in Mooncoin Ireland, but it was closed. _

_ Iris's last name is Keehl, with is pronounced like Kail._

_ Her dress is remnant of that of the late 1800s western dresses._

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Claimer: I own Iris, Esmeralda, and Mr. Howley.

**PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW! **I love to hear from my readers!

_Smiles, _

_Kairi-Ichimaru15_


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